Teachers in strike position Nov. 25

In position to strike

File photo by Bryon Johnson

High school teachers at the public school board will be in a legal position to strike Nov. 25. The union representing secondary school teachers at the Peel District School Board have received a No Board report— the final step required before employees can take legal strike action or an employer can lock workers out.

High school teachers in Brampton and the rest of Peel’s public school board will be in a legal position to strike Nov. 25.
“The date for job sanctions to begin has not been finalized, but will be after that date,” said Paul Elliott, Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) vice-president and negotiations chair.
Elliott confirmed the union representing secondary school teachers at the Peel District School Board have received a No Board report. The report is the final step required, under the Labour Relations Act, before employees can take legal strike action or an employer can lock workers out.
Once a No Board report is issued by a Ministry of Labour conciliator, either side can take action 17 days after the date on the document.
Elliott has said the union is planning sanctions related to administrative duties and students probably will not notice much difference in the current situation at their schools.
The work-to-rule campaign would include such action as refusing to attend staff meetings or fill in for absent colleagues, Elliott has said.
Teachers at many schools have already withdrawn from voluntary duties, such as coaching school teams or supervising after-school clubs. Peel board estimates student extracurricular activities at 50 per cent of its elementary and secondary schools have been affected.
Current labour unrest in Ontario’s schools is centred around the Liberal government’s Bill 115, Putting Students First Act, which sets clear fiscal restraints as parameters for teachers’ unions and school boards as they negotiate new contracts.
The legislation imposes two-year wage freezes, pay cuts and benefit reductions. It also bans strikes, but teachers’ unions and others have called the legislation an unconstitutional attack on labour rights and have responded by launching a court challenge.
In the meantime, teachers have vowed to follow the bargaining process outlined in the Labour Relations Act, which gives teachers the right to strike.
On Monday, OSSTF began strike action at several boards— including Toronto and Halton. Premier Dalton McGuinty and Education Minister Laurel Broten have said the government would take steps to force teachers back to work if it’s determined their strike action is jeopardizing the safety of students.
The union representing elementary school teachers at the Peel board are scheduled to meet with a conciliator Nov. 16, when they could also seek a No Board report.